What is orange wine? How is it made? When do we drink it? Filippo is here to tell us all the secrets about orange wine, neither red nor white!
You already very likely know about the classic wine styles: red, white, sparkling. But what about the new-fangled Orange wines? Ring any bells for you? This wine process has been around for likely a longer time than we know, and is simply a white wine made following classic red wine traditions.
What exactly does this mean? Simply put, the process of maintaining contact between the juices and grape skins lends an orange hue to the resulting wine. The contact can last weeks, or even months, and the color imparted is the Orange that would make any House of Orange fan proud!
The wine makers working on these specialty wines sometimes also even go a step further, allowing the wines to either oak or terracotta age, bringing it even closer to the methodology used in the creation of classic red wines. Filippo Bartolotta, fine Italian wine expert, leads the way for this wine exploration.
Possibly more important than the wine’s color however, is what you expect when you taste this wine. If you’re a fan of tannins, of leathery-structure and floral notes, this category of wines could be the answer you’re looking for to take a break from the classic white and red Italian wine options. Orange wines often do have a textural element, a tilt towards velvet notes, that more often than not, is missing from classic white wine labels.
Basically, this is a wine to try for those seeking a wine adventure, for anyone wanting a break from traditional wines but still wanting to stay within the Italian wine lands. Go crazy, give it a shot at your next aperitivo, and wait to be pleasantly surprised when tasting this innovative (yet quite historic) wine category. It’s a whole new world, wine lovers!
Inspired by these wine-focused videos? Check out more How-to videos regarding the world of wine, as guided by Filippo, and focusing on the elements of wine you always wanted to learn. Head to the Wine Selections pages to check out our favorite wines and bring some into your own home.
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